Francis Thompson — House - District 19
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Live from the 2025 Regular Session
(1400 House floor votes analyzed - so far...)
Upcoming Committee Hearings
Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development Committee
🏛 House📅 No upcoming hearing scheduled
🕗 Bills Pending: 2
Sponsored Bills
HB109: Provides relative to scholarships awarded through the Geaux Teach Program (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
Last Action: Effective date: 08/01/2025.
Date: 2025-06-04
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
HB180: Redesignates a portion of United States Highway 425 in Richland Parish as "Sheriff Gary Lynn Gilley Memorial Highway"
Last Action: Effective date: 08/01/2025.
Date: 2025-06-04
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
Co-sponsors: Tehmi Chassion (D) Regina Barrow (D) Gary Carter (D) Stewart Cathey (R) Patrick Connick (R) Rick Edmonds (R) Cameron Henry (R) Katrina Jackson-Andrews (D) Edward Price (D) Larry Selders (D) Jeremy Stine (R) Glen Womack (R)
...and 7 more.
📅 Not Scheduled
House Bill No. 180, introduced during the 2025 Regular Session by Representative Thompson, proposes redesignating a segment of United States Highway 425 in Richland Parish, Louisiana, as the "Sheriff Gary Lynn Gilley Memorial Highway." This specific portion lies between the northern junction of Louisiana Highway 132 and the southern junction of Louisiana Highway 584 in Archibald, Louisiana.
The bill mandates that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) or its contractors install and maintain appropriate signage to reflect this new designation. Importantly, the legislation specifies that private funds must be provided to cover the DOTD's actual costs for materials, fabrication, mounting posts, and installation of each sign, with expenses not exceeding $550 per sign.
The proposed renaming serves to honor the memory and contributions of Sheriff Gary Lynn Gilley to the Richland Parish community. He served there as sheriff for nearly 30 years.
HB297: Provides for a "contract limit" for public works projects by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (EN DECREASE SG EX See Note)
Last Action: Effective date: 08/01/2025.
Date: 2025-06-20
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
Increases automatically adjusted for inflation.
SENATE floor amendments [LINK] let the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism carry out small construction projects or land purchases costing up to $1 million (adjusted annually for inflation) without needing to include them in the state’s capital outlay budget. These projects require approval from the lieutenant governor. The department can use short-term loans (up to one year) to fund these projects but cannot take on long-term debt. The amendments also clarify that other agencies can do similar projects up to $250,000 without capital outlay approval.
HOUSE floor amendment set 3245 [LINK] convert the increased public works contract limit into a pilot program ending August 1, 2029. They require the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to submit an annual report to the House and Senate transportation committees by August 1 each year. The report must include details on projects using the new limit, contract amounts, cost and time savings, revenue impacts, and other public benefits.
HOUSE floor amendment set 2484 [LINK] expands the revised law to include both Subsections C(1) and P(1)(a) of R.S. 38:2212. They update the definition of "contract limit" for public works projects to $250,000 per project, including labor, materials, equipment (based on industry rate books), and up to 15% for administrative overhead. Starting February 1, 2025, this limit will be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index, with updates published each January in the Louisiana Register.
INCREASES THE NO BID CONTRACTS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS AT RECREATION AND TOURISM FROM $50,000 to ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
Proposes amendments to Louisiana's public works contracting regulations, specifically impacting the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (DCRT).
Under current Louisiana law, public entities like the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (DCRT) are generally required to adhere to statewide public works contracting limits and procedures. This includes relatively low thresholds for what qualifies as a public works project requiring formal contracting and bidding. For projects above $50,000, public bidding is mandatory. Additionally, there are no special exemptions or contract amount increases specifically granted to the DCRT for handling projects in-house. Also, when a public emergency is declared, entities must publish a notice of that declaration in their official journal within ten days.
Under the proposed changes in HB 297, the DCRT would be granted a special contract limit of $1 million per project. This means the DCRT could undertake public works projects up to that amount using its own workforce and resources, without going through the traditional public bid law processes—though projects above $50,000 would still require public bidding. The $1 million threshold includes costs for labor, materials, equipment (based on the Associated Equipment Dealers Rental Rate Book), and up to 15% for administrative overhead. Furthermore, this limit would be adjusted annually beginning in 2026 based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, ensuring it keeps pace with inflation. These expanded provisions would remain in effect until December 31, 2029.
HB299: Increases the maximum rate of ad valorem taxes the governing authority of Morehouse Parish is authorized to levy for public cemeteries and provides for the use of the proceeds of the taxes
Last Action: Effective date: 06/30/2025.
Date: 2025-07-01
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
REQUIRES VOTE OF THE PEOPLE
Proposed amendments to R.S. 33:2740.45 concerning ad valorem taxes for public cemeteries in Morehouse Parish. The key provisions of the bill are:
1. Increase in Maximum Ad Valorem Tax Rate:
The bill seeks to raise the maximum allowable ad valorem tax that the governing authority of Morehouse Parish can levy in any ward from two mills to three mills. This tax is intended for the acquisition, improvement, maintenance, and upkeep of public cemeteries within the respective ward.
2. Voter Approval Requirement:
The proposed tax increase would only be implemented if approved by a majority of qualified electors in the affected ward through an election conducted in accordance with Louisiana's general election laws.
3. Utilization of Unexpended Tax Proceeds:
The bill authorizes the governing authority to use any unexpended proceeds from taxes levied in tax years prior to 2025 for the acquisition and improvement of public cemeteries in the ward.
The bill is designed to provide additional funding for public cemeteries in Morehouse Parish by increasing the potential ad valorem tax rate and expanding the permissible uses of both current and prior unexpended tax proceeds.
HB322: Provides relative to the Northeast Louisiana Multimodal District
Last Action: Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
Date: 2025-04-14
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
Pending: 🏛 Municipal 52 📅 Not Scheduled
Expands the authority of the Northeast Louisiana Multimodal District. Specifically, the bill:
1. Allows the district to enter into contracts for acquiring, building, operating, maintaining, and upgrading necessary facilities. This includes agreements with rail freight common carriers, adhering to federal and state regulations.
2. Grants the district similar powers to those held by industrial development boards.
3. Provides the district with powers equivalent to economic development districts.
4. Permits the creation of subdistricts within its boundaries after proper public notice and a public hearing. These subdistricts will operate as political subdivisions under the district's governance, maintaining the district’s powers.
The bill will take effect upon signature by the governor or after the governor’s time to act on the bill has expired.
HR154: Commends Tana Trichel for her contributions as president and CEO of the Regional Economic Development Corporation of Northeast Louisiana
Last Action: Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.
Date: 2025-05-14
Author: Francis Thompson (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
Proposes a change to the Geaux Teach Program's scholarship disbursement process.
Currently, the law mandates that these scholarships be used only after all other state or institutional financial aid has been applied. The bill seeks to reverse this order, requiring Geaux Teach scholarships to be used first before any other financial aid or awards are considered.
This change could impact students’ financial planning by potentially reducing the amount of other aid they receive, as some state and institutional financial aid programs adjust awards based on remaining need. The bill primarily affects students in teacher preparation programs at postsecondary institutions.